The present invention relates generally to the field of telephone services, and more specifically to adding services to the existing telephone network.
Today's telephone network is moving from an intelligent network ("IN") to an Advanced Intelligent Network ("AIN"). The IN has for many years comprised network switches, a database (generally called a Service Control Point ("SCP")), which contains information used to route or otherwise handle a specific telephone call, Common Channel Signaling System 7 ("CCS7") links between the network switches and the external database, and service specific logic, which causes the switches to query the database for call processing instructions.
The AIN will provide a more intelligent and flexible telephone network, as well as a broader range of telephone services. Generally, the AIN will comprise the same elements as the IN. However, rather than requiring service specific logic in the switches to trigger queries to the SCP, AIN switches (or Service Switching Points ("SSPs")) will trigger on generic network events such as a terminating line busy indication, an originating line off-hook indication, dialed digits collected by the SSP, etc.
Implementation of the AIN is an extremely costly and time-consuming process. Some of the major problems to the widespread and rapid implementation of AIN are faced by the switch vendors, which must rework old switches and develop new switches to recognize and respond to a larger variety of event triggers and changes in the network state. Fundamentally, these switches must detect event triggers or changes in the network state, suspend call processing, issue a query to an external database, and then continue call processing in response to and in accordance with instructions from the external database. High demands on network component providers and software providers for error-free call processing have also slowed the implementation of the AIN.
Although the AIN will go a long way toward improving the flexibility and scope of telephone services, it too will have limitations and deficiencies. The following example helps illustrate the deficiencies of the network as it presently exists and as it may exist as AIN.
Many business people want to record telephone conversations. In today's network, a user must record the conversation off a telephone loudspeaker or via a recorder built into the telephone unit. The network itself does not permit a customer to record a message and does not recognize any triggers which would allow such a service to be implemented. The expanded trigger recognition of the AIN may allow the implementation of such a service; however, this implementation has not yet been proposed, and it is not yet clear whether necessary triggers or state changes will be recognized in the AIN.
Apart from recognizing trigger events or network states, some network components have been proposed which detect certain call events or tones and infer network states therefrom. Bellcore, for example, has proposed a prototype screen telephone and a network integrator for this purpose. The network integrator or Customer Premise Equipment ("CPE") network integrator ("CNI") detects existing in-band call progress tones, such as dial tone, busy, audible ringback, etc. and a variety of local CPE events, such as off-hook, on-hook, etc. The CNI uses these tones and events to infer a change in network state. A network state change invokes a program in the CPE, which provides an appropriate screen display and defines a set of user-accessible soft keys. The soft keys, when pressed, invoke macros, which provide for a variety of network services. The following example helps illustrate the operation of the CNI.
Assume an originating party ("OP") dials the number of a terminating party ("TP"), whose phone is busy. The OP hears a busy signal. At the same time, the CNI detects the busy signal, displays the message "Party Busy," and labels a soft key "Keep Trying." If the OP presses that soft key, the CNI disconnects from the TP busy signal (goes on-hook for longer than 1550 ms), listens for and detects dial tone, and outpulses the CLASS.TM. Automatic Recall activation code (*66). The CNI then displays the message: "Keep Trying Activated. The phone will ring distinctively when NXXXXXX no longer busy." The CNI then updates a "Keep Trying" management list and displays a normal on-hook menu. When the TP's line becomes idle, as determined by existing common channel signaling query/response messages, the network distinctively rings the OP's CPE and delivers the TP caller ID (between the first and second power ringing cycles). The CNI displays the message "NXXXXXX Reached," and, if the OP goes off-hook, the network completes the call. The CNI then deletes the TP number from the "Keep Trying" management list.
In summary, the CNI detects call events or tones, infers a network state, and uses that inference locally at the CPE to display a variety of network services available to the caller. The CNI is useful because it can infer network states from in-band call progress tones. However, its functionality has been limited to local programming of an associated CPE.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a telecommunication network device which can make available AIN services in today's existing network.
It is also desirable to provide a telecommunications network in which new telephone services can be installed and implemented efficiently and quickly.
It is also desirable to provide network interface equipment which can enhance telecommunication services and bypass the need for additional changes to network switches.
Additional desires of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.